This document discusses gender identities and how they are socially constructed through various agents of socialization. It addresses the concepts of sex versus gender and outlines different types of femininities and masculinities. Several agents that influence gender socialization are explored, including family, media, peers, education, religion, and workplace. Learners are provided discussion questions and activities to better understand how gender identities develop and are reinforced through these socializing institutions.
2. Starter
Consider the following questions:
What have you done in the last week that
might be associated with being male?
What have you done in the last week that
might be associated with being female?
How many of the things you did might not be
the norm for your gender? Explain why.
3. Sex
Sociologists use ‘sex’ as a term to classify
people as being male or female, based on
their biological or physical characteristics.
But: ‘intersex’ people (see ‘Kelly talks about
being born an intersex person’ – video clip)
But: Sex change operations (see ‘Sex
Change Para’ – video clip)
4. Gender
Describes they ways in which men/women are expected to
behave
Socially constructed behaviour (made or shaped by the social
world)
Construction of masculinity/femininity
Related to stereotypes (challenged by some people)
Biological determinist view of gender (Parsons: instrumental
role for men, expressive role for women – suits their natural
characteristic)
Stanley and Wise (2002): Gender is socially constructed – by
agents by also by us exercising agency (ability to exercise
choice about actions – they affect our identity)
Activity: Textbook, p. 31 activity 3.3
5. Femininities
Learned behaviours – differ according to class, age, ethnicity
Blackman (1995): Lower middle- class and working-class New
Wave Girls – challenge passive femininity
Osler and Vincent: ‘Girls and Exclusion’ (2003): Getting into
trouble affected reputation negatively – girls careful
Jackson (2006): Normative femininity (socially accepted way for
a female to act, dress etc)
Seidler (2006): Girls form Asian backgrounds – femininity
based on family experience – double life
Some women form a sub-cultural ideology of love and romance
McRobbie (2007): Some aspects of female sub-cultural
behaviour are rage rather than resistance against current
expectations
6. Masculinities
Connell: Range of masculinities in contemporary UK
Socially constructed expectations of behaviour
(differs according to class and ethnicity)
Traditional (hegemonic) masculinity:
- male supremacy (power and authority)
- heterosexuality
- aggression
- ‘laddish’ culture
7. Masculinities - continued
Archer (2003): Talk of homogenous hegemonic masculinity
hides range of experiences and behaviours of men in UK
Traditional masculinity often associated with working-class
males
Nayak (2006): 1950s and 1960s – men were seen as
breadwinner – didn’t do domestic duties
Willis (1977): ‘Learning to labour’
Jackson (2006): Motives of boys for adopting laddish behaviour
is complex
Burdsey (2004): Research on young Asian footballers – ‘fitting
in’ important
Archer (2003): Studied working-class Asian boys – uncool to
work, having to ‘fit in’
8. Masculinities - continued
Connell: apart from normative (hegemonic)
masculinity:
1. Complicit masculinity
2. Marginalised masculinity
3. Subordinate masculinity
9. Activity
Create a card for each type of
femininity/masculinity – on one side
summarise, with examples, what the
femininity/masculinity is about and on the
other side think of as many evaluative points
as possible.
10. The creation and reinforcement of
gender identities through socialisation
Important:
Agents of socialisation are interlinked
Process varies according to social and
cultural differences, e.g. class and ethnicity
Gender role socialisation simplistic and
deterministic (Stanley and Wise, 2002)
Possible to resist the process and exercise
choice
11. Family
Gender identities shaped by:
- Language used by parents
- Accepted behaviour
- Toys
- Clothes and accessories
- Gendered behaviour towards children
• Activity: Textbook, p. 36 activity 3.7
12. Mass Media
Gender stereotypes
Activity:
Using the internet, research the following:
1. Go to the website of a toyshop and see whether
‘favourite’ toys for boys/girls are on sale – list the toys
that depict either traditional gender roles or current,
‘desirable’ characteristics of males and females
2. Look at an online teenage magazine – look through it
and find out how much is devoted to how males/females
should behave, how they should look etc.
13. Peers
Important to be viewed as appropriately
masculine or feminine to ‘fit in’
Language can be gendered
Activity: Textbook, p. 37 activity 3.9
Activity: Textbook, p. 38 activity 3.10
14. Education
Influence varies according to class, ethnicity
and the stage in the education process
Informal curriculum – teacher’s expectations
Activity: Textbook, p. 39 activity 3.11
15. Religion
Role of religion in decline (secularisation)
Some groups for whom religion very
important, e.g. Catholics, Hindus, Muslims,
Jews
Activity: Using the internet, research the
points raised in the debates around the
wearing of the veil. Summarise your findings.
16. Workplace
Nature of employment has changed (from manufacturing
to service industries)
Other aspects of work have changed as well, e.g. more
part-time jobs etc.
Women more economically active and financially
independent
Has led to ‘crisis of masculinity’ (Mac and Ghaill, 1994)
Activity: Make a timeline covering the last 50 years –
show how work has changed, include as much detail as
you can. (Ask parents, grandparents, neighbours etc to
help.)